September Newsletter
Commodore’s Greeting
Hello Everyone,
In the last newsletter, I mentioned that William the Cone-queror, our newest member, was going to try and
swim from the Sovereign Light Tower back to our beach, but I could not say when.
It happened on Friday 16th September. We had a meeting on the Thursday evening, and with the forecast for
Friday looking good, the wheels were set in motion. At 0730h on Friday, Dave Gordon was at the club doing a
final check on the principal patrol boat, and by 0830h everyone was ready. We informed Dover coastguard,
and at 0900h, Dick Hogg, Hugh Ashford, William and his girlfriend Chloe were launched onto a glass flat sea in
bright sunshine. By 1000h they were sipping cups of tea out at the Sovereign. When the tide eased at 1030h,
William was pushed overboard, and at 1630h they all arrived back at the club beach, to be welcomed ashore
by the mayor and about 100 people. As he was not wearing a wetsuit, William took a while to warm up, but he
was fit enough the next day to be back on his trike peddling his ice creams.
So well done William, and thanks to the many members who helped to make it such a wonderful day.
Best wishes,
Don Bowles, Commodore, Hastings and St Leonards Sailing Club
Any queries on Sailing Club matters? Commodore’s Hotline 01424 214759
Achieving glory
Tantrum Handicap 1st Hugh Ashford (Laser)
2nd Philip and Margaret Blurton (Tasar)
3rd Steve Clark (Laser Radial)
Congratulations to all.
Sailing Away
Well done to Tayla Playford and Rob Hamilton, who represented the club in the recent Shearwater TT event at
Weston Sailing Club.
Laying-up supper 2016 Friday 18th November
An email on this topic should have winged its way into your inbox by now. Read and action. I just want to
emphasise that this event is for ALL members; new trainees, you may want to organise a table? Old codgers,
you(/we) may want to organise a table? But whether we are organised or not, if last year was anything to go
by, it will be well organised and a fun evening and there’s fab music again this year. Complimentary drink on
arrival, the works. The Laying Up Supper, or LUS as it is known to those taking committee minutes, is coming
up soon, so don’t delay to get the all-important £5 reduction that is the early bird ticket.
That’s your extra pre-prandial drink, that is, or your taxi most of the way home.
Also, remember when paying by card at the club, to ensure that it is obvious who has paid and for what. You
can email Nik Roberts (treasurer) nikroberts_68@yahoo.co.uk and give him the details, or fill in the slip
provided and leave it in the box. There will be a box.
Also, if you are a member of the Facebook group, you’ll see an Event for the LUS so you can keep posted that
way. If you do FB but aren’t in the group yet, message me (Margaret Blurton) or other members for an
invitation.
Trophies
While we are on the subject of the LUS, please could all trophies awarded last year be returned to our
Principal Race Officer (Mick Lane) or Sailing Secretary (Philip Blurton) by Sunday 23rd October to allow time
for them to be engraved for awarding at this year’s Laying Up Supper. If they are looking a bit drab and need
a shine, please polish them up before returning.
Wine selection complete
Following on from last month’s wildly successful wine and cheese tasting evening, two new wines will be
available behind the bar in the near future. I can’t, er, quite exactly remember which the most popular wines
were, not sure why my memory of the evening is a bit blurry, so it’ll be exciting to find out! I’m sure I liked
them. Thank you Rear Commodore Bob Lloyd for making this happen.
Quiz Night Friday 25th November
As the 3rd Friday in November happens to be taken up with the LUS, (Laying Up Supper, see above), the
November bar event is on the 4th Friday. A bit of a break from tradition, but we will cope somehow. The Quiz
Night is being run in conjunction with the Hastings Lions, of which our membership secretary Andrew Colthurst
is a member, and all proceeds will go to the Seaview Project. 6 players per team, £7 per person, includes
ploughman’s supper, 7 for 7.30. The poster has a charming boat bearing two youngsters – is that Andrew
himself at the helm?
Training Power boat level 2 course – October 2016
Apply now for the next Power Boat Level 2 Course. The club needs to have a steady stream of members
completing this qualification. It is also very useful to have if you are going on holiday and want to take out a
power boat or earn some money as a power boat helm somewhere exotique! Commercially the training would
cost around £250, but through the club it is offered at >> ONLY << £50. Bargain. Instruction will be by our
fully qualified power boat instructors.
Wednesday 19th October, 7 – 9 p.m. Introduction and theory
Saturday 22nd October, 9 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. On the water.
Saturday 29nd October, 9.a.m. – 4.00 p.m. On the water.
Places are limited so please email our Principal Training Officer, Helen Cholerton asap to reserve a place.
training@hastingssc.org
RYA Level 1 & 2 Sail Training 2017
The club will again be running a beginners’ sailing course which will start on Wednesday 3rd May 2017. One
place is already reserved and there are eleven left. If you have friends or family who would like to learn to sail
at the club they can reserve a place by paying a deposit of £50. Contact Helen Cholerton for more details and
to reserve a place. The course is staying at this year’s price of £265.
Other training being mooted – please inform Helen if you’d be interested:
Mini-course re recovery of a dingy from the power boat (Roy Sandford)
Mark laying (Simon Terry – a Wednesday evening early next year)
Race officer evening (Simon again, TBA)
Think whether you could begin the trajectory towards becoming a Dinghy Instructor. First step:
Assistant Instructor – a course should be available early in 2017.
First Aid
Bexhill SC are planning to run a first aid course at some point over the winter. Anyone who might be
interested to do this with them, please contact Helen Cholerton training@hastingssc.org thanks.
Sailing Programme for 2017
The Sailing Committee has started to plan the 2017 sailing programme. If you have ideas that you would like
to be considered, please speak to a member of the Sailing Committee, or email our Sailing Secretary, Philip
Blurton blurton@madasafish.com. Already pencilled in for next year is a Shearwater and Dart Open, further
development of this year’s successful Youth Sailing Scheme, and participation in the Bart’s Bash event.
A word of encouragement from our Sailing Secretary
“The end of the sailing season may be in sight, but that is no reason to pack away your boat. The sea is still
warm, and as long as the conditions are suitable for sailing, there will be sailing. To our new sailors this
season: it is important to keep building on what you have learned so far, and the only way to do that is to sail as
often as possible. Sometimes newer sailors feel they are not worthy to join in the racing on Sundays – stuff
and nonsense! You will be welcomed with open arms. You may be at the back of the fleet but you will be
learning and improving, and the climb to the front of the fleet will have begun. If you are anxious about
joining in, grab me and have a chat, and we will find a way to make it happen. There is sailing every Sunday
up to and including Sunday 11th December. Sail on, me hearties!”
– Philip Blurton blurton@madasafish.com 07803 429534
Bits for Your Boats
Priceless Hardware Store in Bexhill has a limited supply of stainless steel fittings, mainly shackles but other
bits and pieces. They can also order items for you. They can be found at 54 Devonshire Road, 01424 211339
www.pricelesstools.co.uk and are open Monday to Saturday 9 to 5. Thank you Phil Cosham for this
information.
Card payments
In the ongoing bid not to have untrackable financial events via the card machine at the bar, you may, indeed
please do, notice a revolutionary new development: oh-so-smart slips for you to note down your purchase so
that it can be linked with the card records, complete with a no-expense-spared box for you to slip your slip into.
(Nag nag nag) (nag nag)
- It has come to pass on one occasion that a power boat killcord clip had come off, and had not been
reported. There have also been paddles missing and unreported. So the nag is not to not break things
or lose things – stuff happens – but to please please make sure that it is reported so that our power boat
wizard can work his magic and we can all go out to play safely again. Make sure that the fault in question is
clearly labelled on the boat for the unsuspecting next user, and that it has been made known to Dave Gordon. - One of the junior buoyancy aids is missing from the club, no. 1 to be precise. Could everyone whose
child might have used one please double check that it is not languishing in the bottom of a (probably
IKEA) bag somewhere after a thrilling summer of watersports; if you find it, bring it back ASAP fanks.
(They are such good bags for all that sailing gear, aren’t they?) - OK folks. Not sure what it is about having loads of the same bottles open behind the bar. But if nothing
else, and you need to open a new bottle because the opened one is flat etc etc, what about if we at least
agree to dispose of the unwanted one. Then we only have one bottle going off at a time. Thanks! - Also bar-related, with a hint of tea bar: please remember that there are no bar staff, so it is up to you to
arrange for your glass to be washed. This goes for mugs too. - Also bar-related: is it too much to ask that people restrain themselves from lobbing beer mats into the
washing up bowl (oh yes) for that delightful waterlogged and rotting effect? Unless, that is, you have a
burning desire to wash up soggy beer mats.
Hope to see you soon,
Margaret Blurton, Honorary Secretary sailingclubsec@gmail.com 01424 440056
Twitter account @hslsail now run by Nik Roberts – thank you!
If you’d like to join the club’s FB group, message the FB page.